For most of the neighborhood the weather is making much more news that fishing today. Even though we’re only half way through the first week of October, there’s a winter storm warning (pink on the map) out for territory above 500o feet (that’s down to the edge of Bozeman if you’re wondering).
Just for interest sake they’re talking 2-4 feet of snow in the high country with accumulations of 4-6 inches in the valleys of southwest Montana. The valley snow will surely melt out, but that much snow in the high country will stick around until late next spring or early next summer.
The fishing has been in fact better of late on the Big Hole, though you do need to think twice about floating a hard boat over there. A neighbor who is not the most talented oarsman (typically due to his intake of adult beverages) holed a glass drifter over here this past week.
His story suggests that tectonic plates shifted causing a large boulder to suddenly rear up in his path, so close that it couldn’t be avoided. Other reports suggest that he had spun around and was digging around in the cooler and then tying a fly on for his wife (what the hell?) when the fatal impact occurred. The age of his boat (measured in lustrums) probably had something to do with it as well. My point – don’t float with this guy, and use the raft this next week.
Streamer fishing has been getting better with the bursts of transitional weather, and should be much better with this storm and the next due roughly from Wednesday through the weekend. Looks like the later week storm won’t quite carry the punch today’s / tomorrow’s storm will. Divide’s forecast looks a might wintery….
BWOs have been out on the upper river in decent numbers and should be rolling this week as well. Stay warm.
Tags: River - Big Hole
